US8764284B2 - Push button for timepiece incorporating a valve - Google Patents

Push button for timepiece incorporating a valve Download PDF

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Publication number
US8764284B2
US8764284B2 US13/921,593 US201313921593A US8764284B2 US 8764284 B2 US8764284 B2 US 8764284B2 US 201313921593 A US201313921593 A US 201313921593A US 8764284 B2 US8764284 B2 US 8764284B2
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
push button
spring
tube
shoulder
retaining means
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Application number
US13/921,593
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English (en)
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US20140010055A1 (en
Inventor
Sebastien Briswalter
Eric VUILLEME
Gregory KISSLING
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Omega SA
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Omega SA
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Publication date
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Assigned to OMEGA SA reassignment OMEGA SA ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BRISWALTER, SEBASTIEN, Kissling, Gregory, VUILLEME, ERIC
Publication of US20140010055A1 publication Critical patent/US20140010055A1/en
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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B3/00—Normal winding of clockworks by hand or mechanically; Winding up several mainsprings or driving weights simultaneously
    • G04B3/04—Rigidly-mounted keys, knobs or crowns
    • G04B3/046—Operation by rotation and axial movement with extra function of axial shift of operating element, e.g. crown combined with push button
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B3/00—Normal winding of clockworks by hand or mechanically; Winding up several mainsprings or driving weights simultaneously
    • G04B3/04—Rigidly-mounted keys, knobs or crowns
    • G04B3/048—Operation exclusively by axial movement of a push-button, e.g. for chronographs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B37/00—Cases
    • G04B37/08—Hermetic sealing of openings, joints, passages or slits
    • G04B37/10—Hermetic sealing of openings, joints, passages or slits of winding stems
    • G04B37/106—Hermetic sealing of openings, joints, passages or slits of winding stems of push buttons
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/001—Electromechanical switches for setting or display
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B17/00—Mechanisms for stabilising frequency
    • G04B17/32—Component parts or constructional details, e.g. collet, stud, virole or piton

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a push button for a timepiece including a cylindrical armature inside which there is a longitudinally-arranged through push button (respectively a corrector) formed of a head, having a bottom face abutting against a first shoulder made in the armature when manual pressure is exerted on the head, and a stem ending in a screw limiting the axial travel of the stem in the armature.
  • a first return spring of the push button is wound about the stem.
  • Push buttons conforming to the above description are well known in the state of the art. They are, for example, fitted to chronographs or wristwatches for correcting, for example, the date. They are called “push buttons” when they protrude from the middle part and correct a function when pressed with a finger. When the pressure ceases, the push buttons return to their initial position. They are usually called “correctors” when they are embedded in the middle part of the watch. In principle, each push button is linked to the correction of a single function; thus where there is a plurality of functions to be corrected, a plurality of push buttons must be fitted to the middle part of the timepiece, which then weakens the sealing of said timepiece.
  • the idea of the present invention is to give a conventional push button an additional function, to avoid further piercing the timepiece.
  • the additional function may consist of a valve fitted to a diver's watch.
  • CH Patent Application No 699 558 A1 has already proposed a screw-in winding crown associated either with a push button, or with a valve in a single control device. There is no description or suggestion of a combined push button-valve.
  • diver's watches often include both a winding crown and a valve to prevent the watch exploding when the diver returns to the surface.
  • a winding crown and a valve to prevent the watch exploding when the diver returns to the surface.
  • professional divers descend to great depths to carry out work and are then returned to the surface using a pressurised chamber which controls the decompression stops required for the diver's health.
  • gases essentially helium—penetrate the divers' watch case through the sealing gaskets which are essentially suited to preventing water or dust from entering inside the watch.
  • a valve is arranged separately from the other controls for the pressure balance.
  • this valve suffers from the same drawbacks as those affecting push buttons or crowns with respect to sealing problems.
  • the present invention proposes a push button conforming to the definition given in the first paragraph of this description, further characterized in that a second spring, placed after said first spring, is wound around the stem; one end of said second spring rests on said first retaining means and the other end rests on a second retaining means of said armature.
  • the second spring is calibrated to a force matching the compensating pressure to bend and act as a valve if the pressure inside the timepiece is higher than the pressure prevailing outside said timepiece.
  • FIGS. 1 to 3 are plan and cross-sectional views of a first embodiment of the push button-valve according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is an alternative embodiment of the push button-valve shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 .
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan and cross-sectional views of a second embodiment of the push button-valve according to the present invention.
  • the push button includes a cylindrical armature 50 inside which there is a longitudinally-arranged through push button 51 formed of a head 9 , having a bottom face 11 abutting against a first shoulder 52 made in armature 50 when manual pressure is exerted on head 9 .
  • Cylindrical armature 50 is in two parts; the first part is formed of a tube 7 fixed in the middle part of the timepiece.
  • tube 7 is screwed into the middle part of the timepiece via the bottom tube portion 81 and in the median tube portion has a bulge 82 provided with a groove housing an O-ring joint 83 sealing the tube at the level of the case.
  • Tube 7 ends in a top tube portion 56 which protrudes from the middle part of the timepiece. This protruding portion 56 is provided with an external thread 6 .
  • a crown 1 forms the second part of armature 50 .
  • the inner circumference 3 of crown 1 is provided with an inner threaded portion 5 suitable for screwing onto external thread 6 of tube 7 .
  • push button 51 has a stem 8 , which ends in a retaining means limiting the axial travel of the stem in armature 50 .
  • the retaining means is formed by a screw 53 , screwed into the end face of stem 8 in the axial extension of the stem so that the head of screw 53 is stopped against the end face of tube 7 disposed on the side of the middle part of the timepiece. The screw thus enables the push button to be assembled on armature 50 .
  • a first push button return spring 10 is wound around push button stem 8 .
  • This spring 10 is disposed between the bottom face 11 of push button head 9 and first retaining means 54 partially derived from armature 50 .
  • first retaining means 54 comprises a second shoulder 2 arranged in crown 1 .
  • Second shoulder 2 has a top face 57 , on which first spring 10 abuts, and a bottom face 58 , on which there abuts the top portion 59 of a cylindrical spacer 12 secured to stem 8 .
  • the top end portion of cylindrical spacer 12 has a collar 12 a whose function will be described below.
  • the push button stem is moveable relative to spacer 12 .
  • a second spring 13 is wound around stem 8 .
  • One end of this second spring 13 is supported on said first retaining means 54 and the other end on a second retaining means 55 , partially derived from armature 50 .
  • This second spring 13 is arranged to bend and act as a valve spring if the pressure prevailing inside the timepiece is greater than the pressure prevailing outside said timepiece.
  • the second retaining means 55 comprises a third shoulder 18 arranged at the inner end of tube 7 .
  • This third shoulder has a top face 60 on which a first O-ring joint 15 is mounted, followed by a sealing washer or ring 14 , and second spring 13 is disposed between said ring 14 and the bottom portion 61 of said spacer 12 .
  • first spring 10 is greater than that of second spring 13 .
  • cylindrical spacer 12 is made of deformable material so as to seal the push button.
  • cylindrical spacer 12 is made in a material having a shore hardness of between 50 and 100 and more preferably between 75 and 90.
  • this spacer could typically be made of nitrile rubber (acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber NBR).
  • FIG. 1 shows the push button valve whose crown 1 is screwed onto tube 7 , with push button 5 in the rest position. In this situation the valve is closed, and second spring 13 is compressed between spacer 12 and ring 14 .
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the same screwed-in situation, where push button 51 is activated, with screw 53 of stem P activating a correction system of the timepiece, for example, to correct the date displayed on the dial.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 show that the push button is sealed, on the one hand by deformable spacer 12 , whose collar 12 a is clamped between the bottom face 58 of shoulder 2 and the end of the protruding portion 56 of tube 7 and on the other hand, at the tube-case connection by O-ring joint 83 .
  • FIG. 3 shows the push button-valve whose crown 1 is unscrewed from tube 7 .
  • second spring 13 is relaxed and the joint formed by collar 12 a of the spacer is no longer active.
  • joint 15 is capable of rising up against the return force of second spring 13 when the pressure inside the watch case is higher than that prevailing outside, which allows the valve to function.
  • the compressed helium in the timepiece can escape through the space between cylindrical spacer 12 and the push button stem, or respectively the inner wall of tube 7 , then through the threaded portion 5 of crown 1 .
  • FIG. 4 shows a second variant of the first embodiment in which a second O-ring joint 16 has been added to a non-deformable spacer 12 , arranged between bottom face 58 of second shoulder 2 and a recess 62 made in spacer 12 . It is seen that second O-ring joint 16 abuts on end 63 of tube 7 when the crown is screwed onto the tube. In this variant, O-ring joint 16 plays the part of collar 12 a illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 .
  • the push button includes a cylindrical armature 50 inside which there is a longitudinally-arranged through push button 51 formed of a head 9 , which has a bottom face 11 abutting against a first shoulder 52 made in armature 50 when manual pressure is exerted on head 9 .
  • armature 50 includes a single tube 7 .
  • a first portion 90 of the bottom part 80 of the tube is screwed into the middle part of the timepiece and a second median portion 91 is provided with an O-ring joint 83 sealing the tube relative to said middle part.
  • push button 51 After head 9 , push button 51 includes a stem 8 , which ends in a screw 53 with a head for assembling the push button and limiting the axial travel of the stem in armature 50 .
  • the head of screw 53 abuts against the end face of tube 7 disposed on the middle part side of the timepiece.
  • a first return spring 10 is wound around stem 8 .
  • This spring is disposed between the bottom face 11 of head 9 and a first retaining means 54 partially derived from armature 50 .
  • This retaining means includes a second shoulder 70 arranged in the inner wall of tube 7 and on which a washer 71 rests; the top face 72 of this washer acts as a support for first spring 10 .
  • the second spring 13 wound around stem 8 , one end of which rests on said first retaining means 54 and the other end of which rests on a second retaining means 55 partially derived from armature 50 .
  • the second spring is arranged to bend and act as a valve if the pressure prevailing inside the timepiece is higher than the pressure prevailing outside said timepiece.
  • the second retaining means 55 is the same as that cited in relation to the first embodiment, namely a third shoulder 18 arranged at the inner end of tube 7 .
  • the third shoulder has a top face 60 on which a first O-ring joint 15 is mounted, followed by a ring 14 ; and the second spring 13 is disposed between said ring 14 and the bottom portion of said washer 71 .
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 show a push button-valve, whose push button is in the rest state in FIG. 5 and in the activated state in FIG. 6 .
  • the valve is potentially active whatever the position of the push button and operates in the same manner as described with reference to the push button-valve illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 .
  • O-ring joint 15 can rise up against the return force of second spring 13 , which allows the pressurised air in the timepiece to escape through the space between the push button stem and the inner wall of tube 7 .
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 thus show an automatic valve
  • FIGS. 1 to 4 show a manual valve.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
  • Safety Valves (AREA)
US13/921,593 2012-07-09 2013-06-19 Push button for timepiece incorporating a valve Active US8764284B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP12175537 2012-07-09
EP12175537.5A EP2685327B1 (fr) 2012-07-09 2012-07-09 Poussoir pour pièce d'horlogerie incorporant une soupape
EP12175537.5 2012-07-09

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20140010055A1 US20140010055A1 (en) 2014-01-09
US8764284B2 true US8764284B2 (en) 2014-07-01

Family

ID=46651368

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/921,593 Active US8764284B2 (en) 2012-07-09 2013-06-19 Push button for timepiece incorporating a valve

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US8764284B2 (zh)
EP (1) EP2685327B1 (zh)
JP (1) JP5616495B2 (zh)
CN (1) CN103576526B (zh)
RU (1) RU2620870C2 (zh)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11150606B2 (en) * 2018-11-09 2021-10-19 Omega Sa Timepiece including a device for locking a valve or a winding button

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3287855B1 (fr) * 2016-08-26 2019-05-01 Meco S.A. Couronne de reglage pour piece d'horlogerie
EP3631581A1 (en) 2017-05-22 2020-04-08 Timelink AG Crown for a time piece and time piece with crown and crystal
CH713979A2 (fr) * 2017-07-14 2019-01-15 Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd Soupape de sécurité pour montre.
EP3428741B1 (fr) 2017-07-14 2020-05-13 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd Soupape de securite pour montre
EP3432085B1 (fr) * 2017-07-20 2020-04-15 Meco S.A. Soupape de sécurité pour pièce d'horlogerie
EP3432086B1 (fr) * 2017-07-20 2020-04-15 Meco S.A. Soupape de sécurité pour pièce d'horlogerie
EP3451079B1 (fr) * 2017-09-01 2020-11-18 Omega SA Dispositif pour l'orientation d'une soupape pour pièce d'horlogerie
EP3594758A1 (fr) * 2018-07-09 2020-01-15 Tissot S.A. Montre pourvue d'une lunette tournante avec systeme de verrouillage de la lunette muni d'une soupape a helium integree

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS4984072U (zh) 1972-11-08 1974-07-20
US3994125A (en) * 1974-07-02 1976-11-30 Boninchi S.A. Winding time-setting push-button assembly for a watch
US5257247A (en) * 1992-02-07 1993-10-26 Smh Management Services Ag Safety valve for diver's timepiece
US20070025190A1 (en) * 2003-10-21 2007-02-01 Francis Cretin Wristwatch push-piece winding button control device
CH699558A1 (fr) 2008-09-22 2010-03-31 Boninchi Sa Couronne à vis à soupape ou à poussoir intégré.

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DE3936942A1 (de) * 1989-11-06 1991-05-08 Jaeger Lecoultre Sa Drucktastenanordnung
JPH05172956A (ja) * 1991-12-26 1993-07-13 Seiko Epson Corp 携帯時計のボタン装置
CH691935A5 (de) * 1997-06-11 2001-11-30 Meco Sa Grenchen Sicherheitsventil für eine Uhr.
CH697143A5 (de) * 2004-01-23 2008-05-15 Richemont Int Sa Selbsttätige Stellvorrichtung, insbesondere für eine Uhr.
EP2275882A1 (fr) * 2009-07-14 2011-01-19 ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse Dispositif de blocage d'un mouvement d'une pièce d'horlogerie
JP5285546B2 (ja) * 2009-08-28 2013-09-11 セイコーインスツル株式会社 手巻き式携帯時計及びこの時計が備える竜頭の操作方法
JP5279661B2 (ja) * 2009-08-28 2013-09-04 セイコーインスツル株式会社 携帯時計

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS4984072U (zh) 1972-11-08 1974-07-20
US3994125A (en) * 1974-07-02 1976-11-30 Boninchi S.A. Winding time-setting push-button assembly for a watch
US5257247A (en) * 1992-02-07 1993-10-26 Smh Management Services Ag Safety valve for diver's timepiece
US20070025190A1 (en) * 2003-10-21 2007-02-01 Francis Cretin Wristwatch push-piece winding button control device
CH699558A1 (fr) 2008-09-22 2010-03-31 Boninchi Sa Couronne à vis à soupape ou à poussoir intégré.

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
European Search Report for Application No. EP 12 17 5537 dated Jan. 25, 2013.

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11150606B2 (en) * 2018-11-09 2021-10-19 Omega Sa Timepiece including a device for locking a valve or a winding button

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
RU2013131258A (ru) 2015-01-20
US20140010055A1 (en) 2014-01-09
EP2685327B1 (fr) 2018-09-05
EP2685327A1 (fr) 2014-01-15
JP2014016349A (ja) 2014-01-30
JP5616495B2 (ja) 2014-10-29
RU2620870C2 (ru) 2017-05-30
CN103576526A (zh) 2014-02-12
CN103576526B (zh) 2016-12-28

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